The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-02-09
An Investigation Of the Circumstances Connected
With the Vermont Railway Wreck.
The Remains of the Victims and Their Personal
Effects in Charge Of the Authorities
An Examination Of the Broken Rails Shows
Signs Of Defect in tAe Material.
Taken From the Wreck-Peculiar
Case of Identification.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT, Feb. THE
official investigation into the circumstances
connected with the railroad disaster of Satur-
day began here this afternoon under the di-
rection of the Board of Railroad Commits
sioners Of Vermont, consisting Of ex-Gov-
ernor S. Z. Pingree, of Hartford, chairman;
Hon. w. L. Clark, of Rutland, and Hon. I.
G. Fletcher, OF st. Johnsbury.
The first witness was Charles II. Pierce.
He was engineer of the unfortunate train.
Witness testified: l ran the engine while
shifting the cars aud the train was made up,
as is customary, with the combination bag
gage and express car next to the engine;
then the combination mail and smoker with
the first passenger car, all Of which
came from Boston over the Bos-
ton and Lowell Road; then. fol-
lowed the passenger and sleeping
cars from Springfield, the sleeper being the
ST. AIbans. Attached to the rear of the
train was the Pullman sleeper Pilgrim, MAX
ing six cars in all. We should have left by
time table at 12:40 a. m, but were an hour
and half late, leaving at 2:10 a. m, We
ran at regular schedule rate, making up no
time before the bridge was reached, and then
slowed up ss usual and little more so, as
the air brake seemed to take hold better;
applied the air bakes about three times the
length of the train back from the
bridge, which was the usual place; never
went over the bridge without slowing up;
been about eight miles per hour; noticed
nothing unusual, no jar or jerking of any
kind, before reaching the bridge, or, in facl,
at any time until my engine came to a stand
still; was sitting on my seat looking ahead
when the first unusual thing occurred, which
was the sound of the alarm bell from the cars;
we were then about the middle of the bridge;
it struck but once; my hand was within
foot of the lever which applies the air
brakes. The brakes were let off before
reaching the bridge. l applied my brakes
instantly, but did not reverse my engine at
all; after applying the brakes looked cut of
my window, then being about two-thirds Of
the way across the bridge and l saw the
rear Pullman of the train falling from the
rear end of the bridge. In falling it drew
the three next cars with il when the coup
lings evidently broke between the smoker
and the first passenger Car.
The civil authorities of Hartford, VT, have
now assumed charge of the remains of the
victims and their personal effects, so far as
found.
1t is now learned that a Mrs. William
Denno, of Winooski, VT. was lost. Her
husband was in the baggage car at the time
of the accident.
A peculiar case has arisen over the matter
Of the Identification OF a body claimed by
two parties, one alleging that it is the body
of female and the other that it is that of
male. Even the doctors are equally divided
on the question on account of the charred
condition Of the corpse. Clothing, watches
keys etc., belonging to each of the victims
were found on the remains in such a manner
as to indicate that the two persons died to-
gether and that one body was entirely con-
sumtd. There is nothing left of the other
but portion of the trunk, minus the head,
arms and legs.
john Henry Hazen, one of the Board of
Seltctmen of the town of Hartford, says
that, in his opinion, the bodies of forty-six
persons killed have thus far been taken from
the wreck, although this is not by actual
count. Isaac Gates, undertaken, says thirty
two bodies have been brought to his care,
seven of which have been identified and re-
moved, and perhaps five more are suscepti-
BILE of Identification.
Professor Fletcher, chief of the engineer
ing department of Dartmouth College, who
has made close examination of the track
leading to the bridge, says there were three
rails form up at the point where the car Pill
grim probably left the track. These rails
all show signs of defect in the material.
AT a small farmhouse near the bridge lie
two injured men, who were presumably
overlooked previously, but who are having
the best Of care. They are Mr.. Wilcox, own
ing large farm near Bangor, N. Y, who is
seriously injured on the head, and Mr. Bar
late, a FrCnchman, from Nashua, whose
head is badly cut. Il is feared that Mr..
Wilcox's skull is fractured. At farm
house on the south side of the river is a
woman who was rescued from sleeper
without clothing. Becoming crazed, she
started away, crawling on her hands
found some time after, quarter of mile
from the wreck. A mattress was procured,
and she was placed on it. The parties went
for sled to draw her back, and when they
returned it was found the mattress was on
fire under her, having been smoldering when
bon Thov m
able to move. and was terribly burned. She
was badly frozen when found crawling on
the ice.
Joseph Besuregard, of Nashua, supposed to
have been lost, has been heard from at
Montreal.
known French physician OF Lacenia N. H.
was killed in the accident on the Vermont
Central Railroad. He left home Friday af-
ternoon, intending to take that train at Con-
cord for Montreal since which time nothing
has been heard cf him.
It is learned that Mrs. Horace Fairbanks,
wife OF eX Governor Fairbanks, of ST. Johns
bury, is among the lost. She was to have
been on the train, and it is stated that her
cloak and watch have been found.
Another person supposed to be one of the
victims is II. f. HazeH, of Hartford.
Mrs. Blaisdell, of Fitchburg, is safe in
Montreal.
Charles B. Hebbard, of Cambridge, Msss.
who is reported to have been wounded In
the accident, is wanted in Boston for the en-
Dezzlement Of $500. He was on his way to
Canada.
The following is an additional list of per-
sons found to be missing and supposed to be
lost: Homer Riggs, of Middlebury, Vt; ID.
Brooks. of Cornwall, Ont; Fred Blais,
Springfield, Mass.
Death of Henry Clay Dean.
kEoKUK, Ia, Feb. IA special to Gate
City announces that the derth of Henry Clay
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